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<chapter num="16" heading="Cannabis Business Owners" title_num="14" subtitle_num="17">
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".01" heading="Conditions of Ownership and Control.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>An individual who holds any amount of ownership interest or control in a cannabis licensee shall be 21 years old or older.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>The requirement in §A of this regulation does not apply to beneficiaries of ownership interests held in a trust if:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>The trustee is 21 years old or older; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Ownership interests do not vest prior to the beneficiary’s 21st birthday.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="C.">
      <text>The Administration may force divestiture of an individual with ownership interest or control from the licensed business if they are convicted or plead nolo contendere to a crime involving moral turpitude, whether or not any appeal or other proceeding is pending to have the conviction or plea set aside.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="D.">
      <text>Transfers.</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>A person wishing to hold an ownership interest of greater than 5 percent or control in a cannabis license shall comply with the application requirements under Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article, §36-502, Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>A license issued, regulated, or otherwise authorized under this subtitle shall only be transferred in accordance with Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article, §36-503, Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(3)">
        <text>Applicants and transferees under this chapter shall submit to a criminal history record check in accordance with Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article, §36-505, Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".02" heading="Disclosure of Ownership and Control.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>Each licensee shall submit to the Administration a table of organization, ownership, and control in a manner designated by the Administration:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>On or before July 1 of each year;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Within 10 business days of any change in ownership interest greater than 5 percent; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(3)">
        <text>Upon request by the Administration.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>The table of organization, ownership, and control shall identify the management structure, ownership, and control of the licensee, including but not limited to the:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>Name of each owner or principal officer and any other individual or entity with the authority to control the licensee;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>The office or position held, if any; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(3)">
        <text>The percentage of ownership interest, if any.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="C.">
      <text>The identification of ownership shall include:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>The name and percentage of ownership interest of each individual or business entity with ownership of more than 5 percent of the voting shares of the entity, to the extent such information is known or contained in 13D or 13G Securities and Exchange Division filings; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>To the extent known, the names and percentage of interest of ownership of persons who are relatives of one another and who together exercise control over or own more than 10 percent of the voting shares of the entity.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="D.">
      <text>A licensee that is owned or controlled, in whole or in part, by another entity shall disclose to the Administration:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>The relationship between the licensee and the parent or affiliate; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Each owner, board member, or officer and any other individual with control or management authority over those entities owning or controlling the license.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="E.">
      <text>Any individual identified as having ownership or control of a license may not have other ownership interest that exceeds the limitations set forth in Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article, §36-401(e), Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".03" heading="Annual Reports for Cannabis Business Owners.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>Annual Report on Minority Owners and Employees.</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>On or before August 1 of each year, each licensee and registrant shall submit a report in a manner determined by the Administration in accordance with Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article, §36-801(a), Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Each licensee and registrant shall maintain the data required for the report in §A(1) of this regulation for a period of 5 years.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>The Administration may request an annual report regarding a licensee’s or registrant’s environmental resource consumption and waste generation, including but not limited to:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>Energy and water usage; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Green waste disposal.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="C.">
      <text>The Administration may require licensees to demonstrate progress toward the stated goals of the diversity plan on a quarterly basis for the first operational year of licensure, in a manner specified by the Administration.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".04" heading="Mandatory Reporting of Legal Actions.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>The required reporting under this regulation applies to a legal action whether in Maryland or another jurisdiction.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>Notification.</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>A licensee or its parent, affiliate, or any subsidiary shall notify and provide a description to the Administration within 30 days of any of the following events:</text>
        <paragraph num="(a)">
          <text>The filing of any administrative, civil, or criminal action against the licensee or its parent, affiliate, or subsidiary by any governmental entity, private entity, or individual;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(b)">
          <text>The disposition of any administrative, civil, or criminal action against the licensee or its parent, affiliate, or subsidiary by any governmental entity, private entity, or individual, whether by judgment, final order, consent order, or other negotiated resolution; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(c)">
          <text>The filing for bankruptcy of the licensee or its parent, affiliate, or subsidiary, the entry of a court order for the placement into receivership, or the date of an assignment for the benefit of creditors.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>An individual with ownership interest or control greater than 5 percent shall notify and provide a description to the Administration within 30 days of any of the following events:</text>
        <paragraph num="(a)">
          <text>The filing for bankruptcy of the licensee or its parent, affiliate, or subsidiary, the entry of a court order for the placement into receivership, or the date of an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(b)">
          <text>An owner’s conviction of or plea of nolo contendere to a crime involving moral turpitude whether or not any appeal or other proceeding is pending to have the conviction or plea set aside.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(3)">
        <text>The notification and description of the event required under §B(1) and (2) of this regulation shall be provided to the Administration within 14 calendar days after receiving:</text>
        <paragraph num="(a)">
          <text>Proper service of process in accordance with the rules of civil or criminal procedure of a court of competent jurisdiction; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(b)">
          <text>Formal written notice in accordance with the administrative rules of an administrative agency with jurisdiction.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="C.">
      <text>The description under §B(3) of this regulation shall include the following:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>Title and docket number;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Name and location of the court;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(3)">
        <text>Names of the parties;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(4)">
        <text>General nature and scope of the legal action; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(5)">
        <text>Any judgment, final order, consent order, or other negotiated resolution.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".05" heading="Prohibited Acts.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>A licensee may not transfer ownership of the license for the purpose of:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>Improperly shielding the license or the value of the license from any judgement or liability; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Furthering any action or plan of action that violates any State, local or federal law.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>Except as authorized under Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article, Title 36, Annotated Code of Maryland, a licensee may not be:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>A member of the General Assembly;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>An employee of the Administration; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(3)">
        <text>Otherwise in violation of Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article, §36-504, Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="C.">
      <text>An individual, group of individuals or persons may not own multiple, non-majority or unreported shares or interests in a cannabis license unless every holding is a passive interest that:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>Has an aggregate ownership interest of less than 5 percent; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Does not have control over the license.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="D.">
      <text>Owners found in violation of this regulation by the Administration may be subject to any of the following sanctions:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>Fine;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Suspension or revocation of the licensed business; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(3)">
        <text>Forced divestiture of the owner from the licensed business.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <annotations>
    <annotation type="Authority">Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article, §§36-202, 36-501, 36-502, 36-503, 36-504, and 36-801, Annotated Code of Maryland</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Effective date:</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulations .01—.05 adopted as an emergency provision effective July 1, 2023 (50:14 Md. R. 559); emergency status expired June 30, 2024</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulations .01—.05 adopted as an emergency provision effective June 7, 2024 (51:14 Md. R. 676)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulations .01—.05 adopted effective July 22, 2024 (51:14 Md. R. 678)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .03 amended effective April 14, 2025 (52:7 Md. R. 324)</annotation>
  </annotations>
</chapter>